Rotary label printing machine with adjustable rotor cam for separating the printing couple

ABSTRACT

A label printer having a printing roller and a cooperative platen roller which together act to print a label and feed label stock through the printer. An adjustable cam having plural discs is associated with the printing roller to move the platen roller away from its cooperative engagement with the printing roller during selected portions of the roller circumference to cause an intermittent feeding of label stock. One disc of the adjustable cam includes two arcuate concentric rows of spaced apart apertures with the apertures of one row regularly intercalated with the apertures of the adjacent row. Fine cam adjustment is accomplished by relative rotation of the plural discs of the cam and a pin locking of the discs in their adjusted position.

United States Patent 1 1 Cole I541 ROTARY LABEL PRINTING MACHINE WITH ADJUSTABLE ROTOR CAM FOR SEPARATING THE PRINTING COUPLE [52] US. Cl ..101/228, 74/568 [51] Int. Cl. ..B4lf 13/34 [58] Field of Search ..lOl/226, 228; 74/568 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,100,876 11/1937 Schneider ..74/568 2,713,304 7/1955 Thomas ..101/117 3,012,442 12/1961 Grunke ....74/568 3,098,989 7/1963 Metzger ....74/568 3,211,310 10/1965 Mclndoo... ....74/568 3,285,095 11/1966 Rockola .....74/568 3,373,684 3/1968 Fisher ..101/228 1 Feb. 6, 1973 Primary ExaminerWilliam B. Penn Assistant ExaminerWilliam Pieprz Att0rneyKenneth T. Snow 5 7 ABSTRACT A label printer having a printing roller and a cooperative platen roller which together act to print a label and feed label stock through the printer. An adjustable cam having plural discs is associated with the printing roller to move the platen roller away from its cooperative engagement with the printing roller during selected portions of the roller circumference to cause an intermittent feeding of label stock. One disc of the adjustable cam includes two arcuate concentric rows of spaced apart apertures with the apertures of one row regularly intercalated with the apertures of the adjacent row. Fine cam adjustment is accomplished by relative rotation of the plural discs of the cam and a pin locking of the discs in their adjusted position.

4 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTEDFEB 6 I973 3,714,893

SHEET 10F 3 ROTARY LABEL PRINTING MACHINE WITH ADJUSTABLE ROTOR CAM FOR SEPARATING THE PRINTING COUPLE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention Label printers are often required to print labels of different lengths. This has been accomplished in many different ways and the subject invention is yet another way. Label printers generally employ a printing roller which carries printing indicia to be imparted to the label. The platen or the reactive force is usually a cooperative roller in such label printers. Label stock is fed between the printing roller and its cooperative platen roller. With the rollers in full engagement and acting to pull label stock therebetween the length of the labels will all be the same whether the printing indicia is short or long. The label with the short indicia obviously has extensive and wasteful borders at the top and bottom thereof.

Some prior label printers provide label stock feeding means independent of the cooperative printing and platen rollers and thus are able to make the length of the labels commensurate in length with the amount of printing indicia to be imprinted on the label.

Other prior label printers effect feeding only with the raised printing indicia and thus they too are capable of making labels commensurate in length with the amount of printing indicia to be imprinted on the label.

Still other prior label printers act to separate the cooperative rollers for selected periods to thus effect an intermittent feed out of label stock which can be made to correspond with the length of the amount of printing to be applied to the label. This type of device employs a cam to move one roller away from the other and for that period of time stop the feeding of label stock between the rollers.

The subject invention relates to a novel cam adjusting means so the time and period of separation of the rollers may be accurately controlled.

2. Description of the Prior Art The J. R. Thomas U.S. Pat. 2,713,304 shows and describes an adjustable cam to control label length. The Thomas patent is owned by and has'been commercially exploited by Weber Marking Systems, Inc., the assignee of the subject application for patent.

The Sohn U.S. Pat. No. 3,099,212 is representative SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a new and improved adjustable cam for a label printer in which the cam is 5 used to separate the platen roller from the printing of those label printers which employ the printing indicia on the printing roller to cause the advancement of label stock through the printer.

There are other prior patents which show adjustable cams, of which Schumann U.S. Pat. No. 3,138,037 and Rockola U.S. Pat. No. 3,285,095 are representative.

The patent to Schumann et al. U.S. Pat. No. 2,863,409 discloses a sewing machine in which a control mechanism is employed to change the size of the stitches. The mechanism includes discs with a plurality of axially shiftable pins therein. The pins are arranged over the surface of the discs in more than one circular path. However, the device is not an adjustable cam. The Schumann et al device employs shiftable pins which in one position are disposed in the path of a tiltable finger which in turn controls the sewing machine stitch size.

roller and thus interrupt the feeding of label stock therebetween.

It is a principal object of this invention to provide a plural disc cam with the discs rotatable relative to each other and optionally locked in any desired relationship.

Another important object of this invention is to provide one disc of a plural disc cam with concentric rows of closely spaced apart apertures and another disc having spring urged pins in association therewith for engaging one of the closely spaced apart apertures to lock the discs in fixed adjusted relationship.

An important object of this invention is to provide a novel adjustable plural disc cam as defined in the previous object and further in which the apertures of one row are regularly intercalated with respect to the apertures of the other row whereby the cam discs may be finely adjusted relative to each other.

Still another important novel object of this invention is to provide an adjustable cam as defined in the previous two objects and further in which one of the spring urged pins is disposed in the arcuate row of each of the concentric rows of apertures whereby only one spring urged pin may engage an aperture at one time.

Another and still further important object of this invention is to provide a novel adjustable cam for engaging a cam follower which in turn acts to rock a bail-like carrier for the platen roller of a label printing machine.

A still further important object of this invention is to provide a plural disc adjustable cam for a label printing machine in which one of said discs is spring biased axially against the other of said discs and a hand engaging means permits manual separation of the discs and arcuate adjustment of one disc relative to the other disc.

Other and further important objects and advantages will become apparent from the disclosures in the following specification and accompanying drawings.

IN THE DRAWINGS:

FIG. I is a transverse sectional view of the label printing machine of this invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the adjustable cam of this invention.

FIG. 3 is a detail sectional view of the adjustable cam of FIGS. 1 and 2 with one cam disc separated from the other of the cam discs.

FIG. 4 is another detail sectional view of the adjustable cam of this invention.

FIG. 5 is a detail elevational view of the spring locking pins of the adjustable cam as taken on the lines 5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of the adjustable cam and cam follower of this invention.

FIG. 7 is another front elevational view of the adjustable cam and follower such as shown in FIG. 6 but in another adjusted position.

- FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the roller mountings of this invention. AS SHOWN IN THE DRAWINGS:

The reference numeral 10 indicates generally a printing roller as used in a label printer. The printer also includes a cooperative platen roller 11 which acts as the reacting force when label stock fed between the rollers is printed with indicia on the printing roller 10. The label printing machine is provided with spaced apart side walls 12 and 13 which act to support the cooperative rollers and 11. The printing roller 10, which is a relatively large diameter roll, has a centrally located shaft 14 by which the roll is carried in the machine. A bushing 15 is mounted in the side wall 12 and forms one journal support for the roll shaft 14. Another bushing 16 is mounted in the side wall 13 and is adapted to provide a spaced apart journal support for the roller shaft 14. A sprocket 17 is keyed or otherwise fastened to an outer portion of the shaft 14 which is disposed beyond the wall 12.

An adjustable rotor cam 18 which constitutes the primary feature of this label printer is mounted on the shaft 14 beyond the side wall 13 and at the end thereof opposite the drive sprocket 17. An outer housing 19 shields the cam 18.

The platen roller is provided with a shaft 20. The shaft 20 is journally carried for rotation within a first bail member 21. The bail comprises spaced apart arms 22 and 23 and a connecting backmember 24. The spaced apart parallel arms 22 and 23 are provided with axially aligned upwardly opening notches or sockets 25 and 26 which are arranged to support the platen roller shaft 20.

A second bail member 27 is provided with spaced apart parallel arms 28 and 29 with a connecting back member 30. A bolt member 31 is adapted to threadedly engage the abutting back members 24 and of the bail members 21' and27. Axially aligned stub shafts 32 and 33 are associated withthe spaced apart side walls 12 and 13 respectively. Axially aligned holes 34 and 35 are provided in the spaced arms 28 and 29 The stub shafts 32 and 33 cooperate with the bail arm holes 34 and 35 to provide for the rocking pivot movement of the bail members 21 and 27 and thus also the platen roller which is carried by the bails. The bails act as a cradle for the platen roller 11.

A pin 36 is supported on the bail arm 28 and extends outwardly therefrom. The positioning of the pin on the bail arm is such that it is spaced outwardly of the pivot shaft near the end of the bail arm 28 and thereby has an arcuate swinging movement. The pin extends'through an opening 37 in the wall 12 to permit free swinging movement of the pin 36 when the bail member 27 is rocked. A spaced apart fixed pin 38 is carried on the outer side of the wall 12 and cooperates with the pin 36 to receive and carry a spring 39. The spring 39 joining the pins 36 and 38 acts to cause the platen roller to be spring biased into engagement with the printingroller 10.

A cam follower roller 40 is journally mounted on a bracket 41 which in turn is fastened to the outer side of the bail arm 29. An opening 42 is provided in the wall 13 to permit free swinging movement of the bracket 41.

The adjustable rotor cam 18 is of the plural disc type in which the discs are rotatably adjustable relative to each other to create a cam with variable surface characteristics. The cam has a first disc 43 with a hub 44 mounted on and engaging the shaft 14. A radially disposed set screw 45 is threadedly mounted in the hub 44 and is adapted to engagethe shaft at its inner end to thus lock the first disc 43 with the shaft 14. The cam also has a second disc 46 which abuttingly engages the first disc 43. The second disc is slidably mounted on the shaft 14 so that it may be moved axially toward or away from the first disc. A tubular extension 47 is provided on the outer side of the second disc 46. The extension I 47 is sleeve-like and is spaced outwardly from the shaft 14 in a concentric manner. A hand engaging knob 48 has an annular hub 49 which has a sliding fit over the tubular extension 47. A radially disposed set screw 50 threadedly engages the hub 49 and is adapted to lock the knob 48 to the second disc 46 ofthe cam 18. Thus when the knob is manually moved axially it simultaneously moves the second disc toward or away from the first disc 43. A spring 51 surrounds the shaft 14 and is disposed within the annular chamber surrounding the shaft in the tubular extension 47. The shaft 14 is equipped with a narrow annular groove 52 which is located at a position just inside the outer end of the tubular extension 47. A small collar 53 in the form of a split ring is mounted in the groove 52 and acts as an outer stop for the spring 51. The spring thus engages the disc 46 at its inner end and the collar 53 at its outer end to thus urge the second disc inwardly toward the first disc. When the hand knob 48 ispulled outwardly the manual pull is against the action of the spring 51. The open ended knob 48 is equipped with a calibrated dial 54 spaced within its'outer open end. The dial is fastened to the end of the shaft 14 by a screw 55. Thus when the knob 48 is rotated after retraction it is moved to a new position relative to the calibrated dial and as will later be described the effective cam is changed by this relative rotation of the first disc to the second disc.

The first disc 43 of the cam 18 has a first inner arcuate row of closely spaced apart apertures 56. A second concentric arcuate outer row of closely spaced apart apertures 57 is provided in the same disc 43. The apertures of the concentric rows are arranged so that they are regularly intercalated with each other to enable each aperture to be located at a different arcuate degree position around the circumference of the disc 43. The second disc 46 is equipped with spaced apertures 58 and 59 which are respectively disposed at a distance radially outwardly from the center'equal to that of the first and'second concentricrows of apertures 56 and 57 of the first disc 43. Axially slidable headed pins 60 and 61 are located in the apertures 58 and 59 respectively of the second disc 46 and are arranged and constructed to engage a selected aperture in either concentric row of apertures 56 and 57 of the first disc 43 to thereby lockingly hold the second disc 46 in fixed relative position with respect to that first disc.

As best shown in FIG. 2 a flat type spring 62 is used to yieldingly engage the outer headed ends of the pins 60 and 61. The spring 62 includes a base portion 63 having spaced apart holes 64 and 65 therethrough by which the spring is attached to the outer surface of the second disc 46. The attachment is accomplished by means of screws 66 and 67 passing through the holes 64 and 65 respectively to engage threaded apertures in the surface of the disc 46. The spring further has upwardly and arcuately extending separate fingers 68 and 69, the ends of which are disposed at distances radially outwardly from the center of the disc 46 equal to the pin holes 58 and 59 respectively. Thus the separate fingers engage the outer headed ends of the pins 60 and 61 to constantly spring urge those pins axially inwardly so the inner ends of the pins engage the surface of the abutting first disc 43 and to project into one of the apertures 56 and 57 when properly aligned therewith.

Each disc 43 and 46 is provided with an outer circumference or edge which forms a part of the composite plural disc cam 18. The outer edges of the discs have a large diameter portion and a small diameter portion. In a certain relative position of the two discs the large diameter portions extend a maximum distance around the entire outer edge. In each other relative position of the cam discs there is more of the small diameter outer edges exposed.

As stated above it is an object of this invention to cause the label feed-out to correspond to the length of the indicia to be printed on the label. This means that the labels will be capable of having uniform margins at the top and bottom regardless of the length of the printed matter constituting the label. The printing roller and the cooperative platen roller 11 have juncture engagement when the adjustable rotor cam has the smaller diameter circumference at its outer edge. Thus as the printing indicia on the printing roller is increased the adjustable cam is required to have a greater length of small diameter outer edge.

OPERATION To make a cam adjustment the operator manually pulls outwardly on the knob 48 so that the discs 43 and 46 are separated as shown in FIG. 3. Now, with the pins 60 and 61 retracted from the apertures in the disc 43 the second disc 46 is rotated by turning the knob 48. When the desired adjustment is completed the knob is released permitting the spring 51 to again move the disc 46-against the disc 43. One of the pins 60 or 61 is in alignment with one of the many apertures 56 or 57 and the pin will engage and penetrate that aligned aperture. It is of course understood that the force of the spring 51 exceeds the force of the leaf springs 68 and 69 to insure that those leaf springs will not cause an unwanted separation of the discs 43 and 46. FIG. 1 shows the pin 61 in engagement with one of the apertures 57 while FIG. 4.shows the pin 60 in engagement with one of the apertures 56.

It is the pair or plurality of concentric rows of apertures with the apertures of one row intercalated with the adjacent row that permits the fine adjustment of the small diameter discs relative to each other. It should be evident that if very large discs could be employed a single row of spaced apertures would be adequate to get the fine adjustment which is desirable and necessary to the label printer of this invention. The whole problem lies in the availability of only a confined space in label printing machines to accomplish the necessary fine adjustment. Hence, only very small diameter discs may be used and with one row of apertures only limited adjustment is available. However, if the holes of a single small diameter disc were placed closer together to attempt a finer adjustment the disc would not be sturdy enough to take the load with so much of the material constituting the roll taken out for apertures. Or, an alternative would be to make the series of apertures just one elongated slot so the pin could engage at an infinite number of positions along the slot. The problem would then arise as to how to hold the discs in fixed position relative to each other when the pin may slide in the elongated slot. In the present invention the use of dual rows of apertures permits the fine adjustment necessary to accommodate most desired lengths of printing indicia on the printing roller. If necessary the apertures may be divided in three or even more rows to gain any fine adjustment as desired. It would only be essential in such plural concentric arcuate rows that each of the apertures have a different arcuate location on the disc. The use of individual holes or apertures insure that the discs will be locked with respect to each other. The amount of rotation of the one disc relative to the other disc to effect the desired adjustment is gauged by the calibrated dial 54 on the outer end of the shaft 14. The calibrations are such that the arcuate degree of small diameter of the cam circumference exposed is indicated directly on the dial at a position opposite a fixed line scribed on the adjacent rim of the knob 48.

Label stock such as paper 70 is fed to the juncture between the rolls 10 and 11. When the small diameter 71 of the cam is exposed on the circumferential edge, the rollers 10 and 11 are in snug engagement with each other so that paper stock is fed through the machine by the rollers 10 and 11. As best shown in FIG. 6 the cam follower 40 is in engagement with the small diameter of the cam 18. In this position the platen roller 11 is engaging the printing roller 10 because the cradle made up of the two bail members 21 and 27 has been pulled upwardly by the spring 39. Now as best shown in FIG. 7 the large diameter 72 of the cam 18 is exposed to the outer edge causing the cam follower roller 40 to be swung outwardly thereupon separating the platen roller 11 from the printing roller 10.

The simple cam adjustment of this invention thus performs its desired function of permitting the plural discs of the cam to be fixed in any desired relationship. And, as previously stated only one pin engages an aperture. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 it is evident the pin not engaging the aperture will be axially displaced outwardly by causing its leaf spring finger to yield outwardly. However, the spring finger 68 M69 not used is always ready to be utilized upon rotation of the second disc and the aligning of that not used pin with another aperture in a different row of apertures.

I am aware that various details of construction may be made without departing from the principles shown herein and I therefore do not propose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than as necessitated by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A label printer having a rotatably driven printing roller, a platen roller cooperatively engaging said printing roller for effecting a printing of indicia from the printing roller onto label stock fed between the rolls, a cradle rockably mounted on said printer, means journally carrying said platen roller in said cradle, a plural disc cam associated with said printing roller, said plural disc cam having a first disc and a second disc spring biased for abutting engagement against the first disc, means adjusting the relative arcuate positions of said first and second discs of said plural disc cam, a cam follower associated with said cradle, whereby at certain positions the cam causes the cam follower to separate the platen roller from the printing roller and thereby intermittently halt the feeding of the label stock, said means adjusting said plural disc cam including the first disc having two concentric arcuate rows of closely spaced apart apertures in which the apertures of each row are regularly intercalated with each other and the second disc having spaced apart axially slidable pins to alternatively have one pin or the other engage one of the apertures of either row of apertures, and spring means for urging said pins axially toward said first disc.

2. A label printer as set forth in claim 1 in which the means adjusting the plural discicam further includes means for axially sliding the second disc with its spring urged pins away from its spring abutting engagement with the first disc and for manually rotating said second disc when it is axially spaced from said first disc.

3. A label printer as set forth in claim 1 in which the spring means for urging the pins includes a flat spring member having a base fastened to the outer surface of the second disc and arcuately disposed separate spring fingers arranged and constructed to abut the headed ends of the pins.

4. A label printer having a rotatably driven printing roller, a platen roller cooperatively engaging said printing roller for effecting a printing of indicia from the printing roller onto label stock fed between the rolls, a cradle rockably mounted on said printer, means journally carrying said platen roller in said cradle, a plural disc cam associated with said printing roller, said plural disc cam having a first disc and a second disc spring biased for abutting engagement against the first disc, means adjusting the relative arcuate positions of said first and second discs of said plural disc cam, a cam follower associated with said cradle, whereby at certain positions the cam causes the cam follower to separate the platen roller from the printing roller and thereby intermittently halt the feeding of the label stock, said means adjusting said plural disc cam including the first disc having plural concentric arcuate rows of closely spaced apart apertures in which each aperture of the respective rows are offset arcuately with respect to each other and the second disc having spaced apart axially slidable pins arranged so that only one pin may engage an aperture at any one time, and spring means for urging said pins axially toward said first disc. 

1. A label printer having a rotatably driven printing roller, a platen roller cooperatively engaging said printing roller for effecting a printing of indicia from the printing roller onto label stock fed between the rolls, a cradle rockably mounted on said printer, means journally carrying said platen roller in said cradle, a plural disc cam associated with said printing roller, said plural disc cam having a first disc and a second disc spring biased for abutting engagement against the first disc, means adjusting the relative arcuate positions of said first and second discs of said plural disc cam, a cam follower associated with said cradle, whereby at certain positions the cam causes the cam follower to separate the platen roller from the printing roller and thereby intermittently halt the feeding of the label stock, said means adjusting said plural disc cam including the first disc having two concentric arcuate rows of closely spaced apart apertures in which the apertures of each row are regularly intercalated with each other and the second disc having spaced apart axially slidable pins to alternatively have one pin or the other engage one of the apertures of either row of apertures, and spring means for urging said pins axially toward said first disc.
 1. A label printer having a rotatably driven printing roller, a platen roller cooperatively engaging said printing roller for effecting a printing of indicia from the printing roller onto label stock fed between the rolls, a cradle rockably mounted on said printer, means journally carrying said platen roller in said cradle, a plural disc cam associated with said printing roller, said plural disc cam having a first disc and a second disc spring biased for abutting engagement against the first disc, means adjusting the relative arcuate positions of said first and second discs of said plural disc cam, a cam follower associated with said cradle, whereby at certain positions the cam causes the cam follower to separate the platen roller from the printing roller and thereby intermittently halt the feeding of the label stock, said means adjusting said plural disc cam including the first disc having two concentric arcuate rows of closely spaced apart apertures in which the apertures of each row are regularly intercalated with each other and the second disc having spaced apart axially slidable pins to alternatively have one pin or the other engage one of the apertures of either row of apertures, and spring means for urging said pins axially toward said first disc.
 2. A label printer as set forth in claim 1 in which the means adjusting the plural disc cam further includes means for axially sliding the second disc with its spring urged pins away from its spring abutting engagement with the first disc and for manually rotating said second disc when it is axially spaced from said first disc.
 3. A label printer as set forth in claim 1 in which the spring means for urging the pins includes a flat spring member having a base fastened to the outer surface of the second disc and arcuately disposed separate spring fingers arranged and constructed to abut the headed ends of the pins. 